High
by Yugao
Summary: It was a special place, underneath a pagoda tree where she looked at him, and he looked at her too. It was a special time, when he once again encouraged her to give her all.


**_High_**

_**Yugao**_

**_Summary: _**It was a special place, underneath a pagoda tree where she looked at him, and he looked at her too. It was a special time, when he once again encouraged her to give her all.

**_Author's Note: _**I know, another one-shot that doesn't seem quite finished… I'm so sorry. I have to say that even if I don't know all that much about Naruto, I am very much obsessed with writing, especially when it comes to Nejiten and Naruhina. Please go easy on me if it sucks, all right?

**_Disclaimer: _**I don't own Naruto or the song that inspired this, _High _by The Speaks.

* * *

"_Time won't flow_

_Everyone knows_

_When the pain fades away_

_Dreams won't die_

_With tears in our eyes…_

_You've got to hold your head up high."

* * *

_

Dark green leaves, and a few cream-white blossoms, fluttered down to earth with the help of the softly blowing breeze. The bushes gave a slight, almost songlike rustle and the night's songbirds had finally begun to sing as they saw the dusk sky. Hinata closed her eyes and breathed in the semisweet, perfumed scent of dew and mist.

She sighed and leaned back against the trunk of the pagoda tree. It was times like this that reminded her, even if the reminder was so simple and almost imperceptible, that there was more to life than training and missions.

She smiled a little, trying to make out a little melody amidst the rustling of the leaves. A first rustle, second, third – they were soft. A fourth, a fifth – sharp.

Sharp?

Hinata wheeled around in the direction of the bushes, muttered, "Byakugan!" and activated her clan ability. She scanned them cautiously, and, finding nothing, closed her eyes and calmed down. The moment her eyes slid closed and she released the Byakugan, she felt herself being knocked off her feet.

"Mâ!" she exclaimed in surprise. She pushed herself up off the ground and tried to see who pushed her. When she looked up, though, she saw a familiar orange-clad ninja, armed with a mischievous smile. She promptly reddened and looked down to the ground.

"Are you all right, Hinata?" he asked, with the slightest bit of concern. "I didn't mean to catch you off-guard. Oh wait… maybe I did, but I didn't want to scare you."

He reached out and brought her to her feet. "I-it's okay," she stammered. She winced. Why was she like this around him? Why did she turn red and lose all her poise the moment he arrived? Why… she pressed her fingers together, and tried to silence her thoughts. She knew very well why.

He cupped her chin in his hand, and lifted her head so that she looked straight into his blue eyes. She felt her blush deepen, but she vowed to keep his gaze for once; for this first time she would lock eyes with him and not avert her gaze. "Hinata-chan?" he murmured softly.

"Yes?" she asked, breathless. _Anything, _she thought, _anything… _It was as if beautiful music had begun to play, as if the whole world had fallen apart and the two of them stood alone in the nothingness…

"Can we sit down? I don't want to keep standing all night," he complained.

And once again, they returned to the world. She almost wanted to mourn the abrupt death of the mellow music that had played earlier, but she went back down to the pagoda tree and settled herself under it. Naruto, too, sat down beside her. She felt herself smile in contentment.

Ever since they had met, she was taken in by his bright smile, his infectious laughter, and his striking ability to keep grinning no matter what it was that happened. She didn't know exactly what it was that drew her in.

Maybe no one understood those things.

Could either Sakura or Ino pinpoint the exact reason why they fought over Uchiha Sasuke? Was the blonde's sudden rivalry with Temari of the Sand merely a petty argument, or had it perhaps been because of a certain Nara genius? Did the way her cousin Neji watched over his teammate Tenten show more than just overprotective friendship?

Maybe… no one understood those things.

But there was one thing Hinata understood: that Naruto was one of the only people who had tried to accept her. He was always there for her, assuring her that everything would be all right even when she knew it wouldn't be. Maybe, she thought, his mere presence made a difference.

She looked over at where he sat, idly watching the clouds go by. It was Naruto who brought her up whenever she fell, whether he knew it or not. It never took him much effort; all she ever needed was a thought, a single solitary daydream, at the very most a few words. Like at that moment: "Hinata-chan…?"

"Yes?" she hardly dared let the music play, but it came of its own free will.

He grinned. "I'm hungry. Do you want to go out for ramen?"

The music died again, but this time she smiled. "Yes. I'd like that very much," she whispered as she pushed herself up off her feet. She held out her hand to him, and he took it. Together they walked away from that place beneath the pagoda tree, where once again, he reminded her to hold her head up high.

**_Author's Note: _**I enjoyed writing this, so I hope you enjoyed reading it! Please review. Haha… this is dedicated to my beautiful cousin Musay who asked for it, and to my friend Iyocee who inspired me to write it.


End file.
